It’s been a big year for our worldwide Creative Entertainment team at Disney Parks! Here are just a few of the new experiences they brought to life in 2012:

1. Launch of Disney Fantasy – Disney Fantasy, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, was christened in March with a star-studded gala in New York City. Sailing on Disney Fantasy, our guests are treated to an extensive shipboard entertainment program, including children’s and family activities, as well as the new stage shows “Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” and “Disney’s Wishes.”




2. Disneyland Paris 20th Anniversary – Disneyland Paris celebrated their 20th anniversary in April with the debut of “Disney Magic on Parade” and the incredible new nighttime spectacular “Disney Dreams!”




3. Reopening of Disney California Adventure park – In June, the openings of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park introduced a wealth of new entertainment experiences, from the Red Car News Boys and Five & Dime to DJ’s Dance & Drive and the Citizens of Buena Vista Street. The Disneyland Resort also welcomed the Mad T Party, Voices of Liberty and “Glow with the Show” Ears, interacting with everything from “World of Color” to “Fantasmic!”




4. Opening of New Fantasyland – Dec. 6 marked the grand opening of New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom Park. Whether you’re attending Knight School with the Royal Majesty Makers, sharing “Enchanted Tales with Belle,” swimming down to Ariel’s Grotto to meet the Little Mermaid herself, laughing along with the Storybook Circus Giggle Gang or joining favorite Disney characters on stage at Pete’s Silly Sideshow, New Fantasyland presents immersive entertainment experiences unlike any other. And it’s all topped off with “Celebrate the Magic,” our new nighttime projection show on Cinderella Castle.




5. New Members of the Disney Character Family – Throughout the year, new storytelling environments debuted across Disney Parks, providing the perfect settings for visits from the newest Disney characters. Merida rode in from the Scottish Highlands of “Brave.” Periwinkle joined her sister Tinker Bell for “Secret of the Wings,” and Ralph and Vanellope invited us into the video game world of “Wreck-It Ralph.”

All this, plus the recent expansion at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, which brought all-new guest entertainment and activity programs and a permanent new home for the evening Starlit Hui, and the opening of Grizzly Gulch at Hong Kong Disneyland, a new area of the park where the story comes to life with Disney characters and atmosphere entertainment.

So I guess that’s more than five, but the team isn’t stopping there! They are already hard at work, preparing to bring you even more fantastic entertainment in 2013. Just wait until you see what they have in store for Tokyo Disneyland’s 30th anniversary, Limited Time Magic, Fantasy Faire at Disneyland park and… well, I wouldn’t want to give everything away!

Tagged: Aulani, DCA, Disneyland Paris, DLR, Hong Kong Disneyland, MK, WDW

Filed: Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

Disneyland Paris, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, is all dressed up for the holidays.

While I haven’t been to Disneyland Paris for a few years, these photos make me want to jump on a plane ASAP and head over for some Parisian holiday cheer. Check out some of the sights guests are currently seeing at the resort’s two theme parks – Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park – and hotels. Which is your favorite?

Thanks to photographer Tom Bricker for these amazing shots.

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, Gallery, Holidays, Photography

Filed: Disneyland Paris

For tonight’s “Disney Parks After Dark” photo, we’re heading over to Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, where it seems that Mickey and Minnie are adding a bit of holiday cheer to the park’s beautiful castle landscape. Can you imagine what a photo op these two larger-than-life snow characters are for guests at the park?

Be sure to check back on Monday, when we’ll take a deeper look at Disneyland Paris holiday decor.

Look below for more posts from the “Disney Parks After Dark” series:

• Disney Parks After Dark: Out of This World at Epcot
• Disney Parks After Dark: Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park
• Disney Parks After Dark: Morocco Pavilion at Epcot

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Park Paris, Gallery, Holidays, Photography

Filed: Disneyland Paris

Happy Halloween, everyone!

The Haunted Mansion has always been my absolute favorite attraction in all of Walt Disney World Resort, and what day better to celebrate it than today? In honor of this Halloween holiday, let’s take a look at all the Disney Parks Haunted Mansions around the globe.

The first Haunted Mansion was, of course, the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland park, which opened its doors in New Orleans Square in 1969. Here, theme park guests were first introduced to “Ghost Host” Paul Frees, and boarded Doombuggies in the hopes of sighting some of the mansion’s 999 happy haunts.

When Magic Kingdom Park opened at the Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 1971, The Haunted Mansion was one of the park’s opening-day attractions. Located in the Liberty Square area of the park, this mansion offered a totally unique exterior reminiscent of an 18th-century manor.

The first Haunted Mansion attraction to open in Asia did so at Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. This attraction, which now features a Holiday Nightmare (“The Nightmare Before Christmas”-style) overlay at this time of the year, is located in the Fantasyland area of the park.

The newest Haunted Mansion attraction, named Phantom Manor, opened at Disneyland Paris April 12, 1992, in the Frontierland area of the park. This attraction features a slightly different backstory that focuses on the Ravenswoods – a family of Western settlers who struck it rich during the gold rush and were later affected by a series of mysterious demises.

Which Haunted Mansion attraction is your favorite to explore?


Read more about Halloween celebrations at Disney Parks in the posts below:

• Create Your Own Disney Parks Magic at Home this Halloween
• Disney Parks Blog Features Halloween Images from Across the Globe
• Get Halloween Costume, Cosmetology, Decor Advice from Disney Pros

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, DL, DLR, Halloween, MK, Tokyo Disney Resort, Tokyo Disneyland, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort

You’ve probably seen our Haunted Mansion Disney Parks Blog logo, but have you noticed what’s behind the moon and clouds at the top of the page? We’ve kicked off Halloween week with a fresh batch of exclusive header images from the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Collection and Slide Library.

Here are three of them. The top and bottom images are from Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris, and the middle one is from the inside of Tower of Terror at Tokyo DisneySea. Of course, there’s more to see from those parks as well as the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort – just refresh any page for a new image. And let us know if you have a favorite.

Check out what’s going on at Disney Parks for Halloween in the posts below:

• Take 5: Halloween at Disney Parks
• Tim Burton Visits Disneyland Paris to Celebrate ‘Frankenweenie’
• Get Halloween Costume, Cosmetology, Decor Advice from Disney Pros

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, DLR, Gallery, Halloween, Tokyo Disney Resort, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort

Look who dropped by Disneyland Paris today. Acclaimed director Tim Burton and his family visited the park to celebrate the release of the new movie, “Frankenweenie.”

Burton, actress Helena Bonham-Carter and their children, Billy Ray (9) and Indiana Rose (5), posed with Jack and Sally, characters from “The Nightmare before Christmas” (released in 1993), in front of the famous Phantom Manor attraction.

During the visit, Burton was also greeted by Mickey Mouse. Disney’s Halloween Festival at Disneyland Paris will celebrate Halloween with these characters and more through November 4.

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Park Paris, Halloween

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disneyland Paris

World of Disney has long been a premiere shopping destination at Disney Parks. The first location opened in 1996 at Downtown Disney Marketplace in Florida. The second opened in 2001 at Downtown Disney District in California. There was even a World of Disney that operated on 5th Avenue in New York City during the middle part of this past decade. On July 12, our newest store officially opened at Disneyland Paris as part of their 20th anniversary celebration. I spoke with the team in Paris, who provided a few details and photos of the location.

Located at the entrance to Disney Village, near the entrance to Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park and hotels, the store contains about 15,000 square feet of shopping space (about 1400m² for those using metric). Like its sister locations in the United States, this destination will be home to a huge selection of souvenirs. The Paris team told me that this location is considered their flagship – or “grand magasin” – location.

I love the 1920s, art deco style of the location (I want my house to look like that one day). Art deco was created in Paris, so the team felt it was a great tribute to a classic French art style. The outside features eight bas-reliefs showing Disney characters and the Eiffel Tower. The rotating domed roof represents a retro-lit globe and has Tinker Bell gilded in gold leaf on top (the dome takes a little over one minute to rotate).

Inside, the center piece is a hot air balloon with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Pluto. (It reminds me of my favorite scene from “Impressions De France” at the France Pavilion in Epcot.) There is also a series of murals that pays tribute to the five continents that line the walls. The center area is supported by 10 columns, which is a tribute to major Parisian department stores.

I’ve never been to France, but after seeing these photos I think I need to go! Bienvenue à World of Disney!

Check out these posts for more news from Disneyland Paris:

• Bon Anniversaire, Disneyland Paris!
• Vintage Walt Disney World: Disneyland Paris Marks 20 Years
• Disneyland Paris Turns 20 with Exclusive High-Tech Show, Parade

Tagged: Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios Park Paris

Filed: Disneyland Paris